Amaryllis Bloom
by Aku Blossom
Summary: The journey of a Powerpunk Girl and an ancient hero, caught up in a random repetition of moments. Author's Note: Chapters are not in chronological order.
1. Problem Girl

**Problem Girl**

It was supposed to be a peaceful night in Viletown. The fires from the earlier attack had finally been reduced to embers and the sky was almost cleared of the smoke from the explosion at the chemical plant. But, like most good things in Viletown, the quiet couldn't last forever.

"Do you ever SHUT UP?!" a screech tore through the night air, driving any citizens who were still awake to hide under their covers. Deep within Oppressor Plutonium's heavily guarded mansion lair, the little banshee that had broken the silence sneered and crossed her arms across her chest. Her opponent, a red-eyed girl with long, messy auburn hair ground her teeth and glanced away, crossing her arms in a way that mimicked her sister's pose.

Berserk's lip twitched, "D-Do you ever quit being stupid?" she mumbled back, cheeks heating up when both of her sisters laughed at her weak retort.

"Oh, wow, no, Berserk, I never thought of not being stupid. Wow, that was so good and smart! Wow, if only I had thought of that!" Brat ranted, pacing back and forth in front of her.

Berserk lowered her head and crossed her arms tighter; her cheeks were getting warmer. Brute was snickering.

"Man, Brute, can you believe it? I should quit being stupid! I should be more like Berserk, shouldn't I? Tell me, Berserk, was the smart thing you did today dropping that barrel we were stealing so it spilled everywhere, or was it when Brute got shot because you got nervous around your STUPID UGLY BOYFRIEND?!" she shrieked again, the force of her voice making the mansion shake.

"I just...I think...it wasn't my f...I didn't mean to drop it! Brute hit me!" Berserk insisted, thrusting her mitt at the third sister.

That...proved to be a mistake, she realized, swallowing a lump in her throat. Brute sat up from the game she was playing, throwing it down hard enough to crack the screen.

She narrowed her eyes, slowly climbing to her feet, "What did you just say to me, you whiney little pipsqueak? You got a problem with me hitting you? Cause if you ever use that stupid fire breath around my favorite outfit again, I'll hit you twice as hard!" she hissed, shoving her mitt into Berserk's chest, hard enough to nearly knock her off her feet.

She caught herself and ground her teeth a little harder, "Whatever, I'm...I'm sorry or something, but don't hit me when we're fighting Jomo!" Berserk insisted. In response, Brute shoved her again, this time knocking her on her backside.

"I'll hit you when I want to, pipsqueak. You got a problem with that?"

"Yeah, Berserk, who do you think you are? Do you wanna be the leader? Oh, Brute! Should we make Berserk the leader? Can you imagine?" Brat snickered, "I bet we end up in jail in a week! No, no! A day! One day, and we'll all be in jail forever cause Berserk screwed everything up!"

"Yeah right," Brute laughed, going back to her game. She sighed heavily, seeing the broken screen and waved it at Berserk, "Look what you made me do! It's ruined!"

Berserk climbed to her feet and swallowed again, putting her head down and heading toward the door, "Wh-whatever, I...I'm sorry, or something,"

"Aw, are you gonna cry again, Berserk? Did Brute hurt your feeeelings?" Brat taunted.

Berserk quickly rubbed her eyes and shook her head, "N-no, I'm not a stupid crybaby! I'm just...I just don't want to look at you...you jerks!" she muttered, finally storming out of the room. Over her shoulder, she could hear Brat laughing again. She growled and turned to slam the door. With a defeated sigh, she shoved it, closing it with only a soft smack.

She stomped around the halls, messing up her already horribly tangled hair and growling under her breath. She could feel smoke on her breath, but, worse, she could feel wetness in her eyes. If they saw her crying, they'd never let her live it down. With a tiny scream, she shot out of the nearest window and out into the city.

They were going to laugh at her. They'd call her a crybaby and a pipsqueak and a stupid loser. Berserk ground her teeth and clenched her eyes shut. With an angry cry, she belched a massive wall of fire at the nearest thing she could find. The building lit up like a Christmas tree, but it wasn't enough. Drawing in ragged, hissing breaths, she slammed her fist through the wall. Then blew another stream of fire across the ground.

"I hate them! I hate them! I hate them!" She growled, hitting whatever was closest. With another scream and another bark of flames into the air, she finally calmed down, panting and staring at the destruction around her.

"Oh my! That's no good," A voice called out. Berserk's eyes widened and her cheeks heated up. Like a blur, or a small tornado, the newcomer put out the flames still raging around her. She frowned and stood up straight, crossing her arms and looking away.

"Ah! There we are, now just this here…" with surprising gentleness for a creature of near unlimited power, the newcomer put the wall she'd knocked down back together. And, with a little hum, he pressed his hand against it and healed it with some weird magic. He dusted his hands off and turned to her, a bright, cheerful smile on his face.

"Miss Berserk! Why are you out so late? You know, it's wise for girls your age to get to bed early to...Miss Berserk, are you crying?" The creature, the monstrous, wandering hero Akio, knelt down beside her, trying to get a closer look. She rubbed her eyes, and hiccuped, stomping away from him.

"I'm fine, n-nerd! G-get away from me," she insisted. She moaned and lowered her head when she heard him fall into step behind her. Now he was never going to go away.

Akio cleared his throat, "My apologies, Miss Berserk, but I cannot abandon you at a time like this! Out here alone, this late at night, and crying! I would be the worst hero if I turned my back on you now," He gently touched her shoulder, bringing her awkward retreat to a stop.

Berserk whipped around, floating up to his eye level, "You're already the worst hero! You're a s-stupid n-nerd who tr-tries to help ev-veryone because he's a stupid idiot!" she blushed again and looked away, rubbing her eyes angrily as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. "Don't you have a c-cat in a tree to save s-somewhere?"

Akio perked up, holding up a finger and asking for a moment. He tapped his chin, then beamed, hitting his palm with his fist, "Ah! That's no good, Miss Berserk. You can't trick me today. I've already checked the trees nearby. Every cat is in its place!"

Berserk sighed, sitting down on a big piece of rubble, leftover from a statue they'd destroyed that day. She rested her chin in her mitts, "Whatever, I don't care...just leave me alone…" She sighed again when he sat down beside her, resting his hands on his knees.

"That is quite alright, I shall just stay with you until you decide to go home. I would hate to leave you out here all alone," Akio explained. He cleared his throat and wrapped his arms around his knees, "Although, I believe it helps to cleanse your soul by talking about the things troubling you."

Berserk swallowed, glaring at him, "Wh-why d-do you care, n-nerd? N...no one else does…" she muttered, her voice giving out near the end.

Akio smiled softly, "I believe you've answered your own question, Miss Berserk,"

Whatever it was about this big stupid loser, it was getting to her, Berserk thought with another sniffle. She wrapped her arms around her knees, unconsciously mirroring him.

"I can't do anything right," she muttered.

"That's untrue!" Akio exclaimed, "Why, just yesterday, the punch you threw at Fluffy Bumpkin was spot-on! Your form was flawless, Miss Berserk. And, though I do not condone your destruction of public property, just now, the flames in your Fire Breath were exceptionally hot and powerful! You have quite a gift!"

"I couldn't even break down a building right," Berserk whined, "I can't carry a barrel, I can't even…" she clenched her eyes shut, "I can't even beat a b-big s-stupid d-dumb idiot n-nerd like y-you!"

"Oh my….um, did Miss Brat and Miss Brute give you trouble about the barrel? I am so very sorry for distracting you! I only meant to stop you from succeeding, I never meant to humiliate you...Miss Berserk,"

She gasped when he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight.

"Please accept my deepest apologies...I understand now, the blame for your sadness rests with me. I've found that closeness, such as this, is beneficial to healing such emotional wounds. Please, allow me to make up for my folly," he insisted.

Berserk swallowed and started to pull away. But...this was weird. No one had done this to her before. What was he trying to do? It wasn't a choke hold, or a grapple or any kind of attack. It was just...she rested her head against his chest. It was just warm.

It was...nice

Her lips began to quiver. She sniffled and clenched her eyes shut. She hit him once, to let him know she wasn't happy, then she buried herself in his arms and cried.

The two stayed like that for some time. As she cried, he held her and petted her hair, mumbling under his breath that she could stand to brush it from time to time. A watery smile finally found its way to her lips.

"Miss Berserk?"

"Huh?" she asked, suddenly broken out of her dreamy daze.

Akio tilted her head back, the intensity in his warm stare piercing through her, stirring up weird, not at all uncomfortable feelings. Her stomach felt like it was trying to fly away.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice a crackling whisper.

"Did you remember to brush your teeth?" he asked, concern etched into his voice.

Berserk groaned and hit him again, before burying herself in his embrace. Akio resumed holding her, petting her hair. Still...he leaned down, "Miss Berserk, be honest, did you brush your teeth after your meal?"

Berserk sighed, "Yes, Akio...I did,"

He smiled, "Good...that's good,"

Berserk's scowl faded, slowly replaced by a smile. Nervous at first, she slid closer to him. Her heart skipped a beat when he allowed her into his lap and continued to hold her. No one would notice she was gone...what was a few more minutes?


	2. Some Day

Some Day

Berserk coughed and wiped her face off, looking around in a daze. The world was still spinning, but things were slowly coming into focus. She was lying in a muddy puddle, she realized with a groan, rolling over and staring up at the sky. Her sisters must have ditched her when she was knocked out of the sky. With a little growl, she sat up and rubbed her head.

"Dammit…" she cursed under her breath when she felt the rain start to pick up again. With another sigh, she started to climb to her feet. She blinked, peeking up when a hand appeared in front of her. What was he doing? She glared up at the hero, "What do you want?"

"You'll catch a cold if we don't get you warm soon, Miss Berserk. Please, allow me to assist you in going home," Akio insisted, beaming when she begrudgingly took his offered hand. He tugged her to her feet effortlessly and, with a flourish and a swoop of his arms, bundled her in his cape, pulling it over her head to block out the rain.

Berserk grumbled a thanks under her breath and tried to keep up with him as he led the way back to the mansion. She growled and cursed, "Dammit!" when she stumbled and nearly fell again. She was freezing, why was it so cold? The rain sucked, she hated the rain. It was stupid. Akio was stupid. This stupid jerk nerd hero trying to help her. What an idiot, a big dumb idiot, helping her, a villain.

"Miss Berserk? Are you having trouble keeping up? Here," he offered his hand again, gently wrapping his warm fingers around her trembling, cold mitt.

Berserk's cheeks lit up hot pink and she turned her gaze back down to her feet. She tightened her hold on the cape, but nodded, falling into step beside him. She glanced up at their clasped hands and her blush darkened.

"St-stupid n-nerd…" she muttered.

Akio beamed and gave her hand a squeeze. Her heart skipped a beat and she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"So tell me about the descendant of Jaaku. You don't seem eager to return home...ah! If you don't mind me asking, of course, Miss Berserk. I don't mean to intrude. It will just be some time before we get back, I only wished to get to know you a bit more," Akio bumbled, laughing sheepishly.

Berserk frowned, "The Oppressor is our lord and master, who rules the city of Viletown with an iron fist. His rule keeps this wretched city under control and without him we'd be nothing. We're all worthless garbage he made useful.. We're lucky to serve him and owe our very creation to him." she spouted off mechanically.

Akio paused, turning to her with a strange look on his face. Were his eyes watering?

"You must be mistaken, Miss Berserk. Do you really think that?" he asked in a low voice.

Berserk shrugged, "It's probably true...I mean, we are just garbage without him, so I guess it's true. We can't overthrow him and we wouldn't know what to do if he wasn't around anyway. He's the rightful ruler of the world." Berserk rolled her eyes, "That's what he says, at least."

"It's not true at all, Miss Berserk! The world is an amazing, beautiful place filled with more magic than you could even imagine! No one person could ever rule that. No, every person's experience is an incredible journey, there is no such thing as a worthless person." Akio explained, tightening his hold on her hand.

Berserk swallowed again, looking up at him finally. The way he was smiling, how he gestured wildly to emphasize each and every word. It was so stupid and weird...but she couldn't help smiling too.

"Yeah right...the Oppressor says the world is," she rolled her eyes and spouted off mechanically once more, "A wretched, useless place in need of its true master,"

"There are bad things in the world," Akio agreed with a nod. But, he stopped and stooped down to her eye level. Berserk blushed once again, "But, there is good in the world, too. I've seen so many amazing things in my travels. People with nothing, who still give everything to help someone in need. Rich men who give up their fortune to revive a poor community. Even criminals who...when their time comes, become heroes to those who need them. I've seen kingdoms rise and fall with rulers like Jaaku and his descendants, those who think they alone deserve this world."

Akio shook his head. He smiled and gave Berserk's head a pat and stood back up.

The little girl tightened her hold on his hand and came to a stop, forcing him to turn to look at her, "Where...where exactly have you been?"

"It would take days to tell you every village, every town, every person I've met. Perhaps in…" he chuckled and gestured toward the rain, "Better weather, we could discuss it at length? I could tell you about when I met a Pharaoh, or when I assisted in building a wall that stretched across the entire horizon. Or when I visited Atlantis!"

Berserk cocked her head, "Atlantis is real?"

Akio laughed sheepishly, "Well, at one time, yes. It's been many, many years since...the erm, accident," He paused and knelt down beside her again, "Perhaps...you would like to see those places for yourself? I could show you,"

The little punk frowned and nearly pulled her hand away from his, "Are you some kind of pedo or something?"

The monstrous hero cocked his head, tapping his chin, "I'm...not sure I understand what you're asking, Miss Berserk."

She smiled and shook her head, "You are such a stupid idiot l-loser…" her smile slowly vanished, "I can't though. I...I can't leave Viletown, the Oppressor would never let me." Even if he would, what would be the point? She didn't care about a bunch of lame people being nice to each other. Akio was probably lying anyway, no one in the world would just be nice to be nice. No one except him, and he was a stupid idiot. He was probably lying to turn her against the Oppressor.

Berserk glared at him, turning her gaze down. That was probably it. This was just a trick, to use her to get to the Oppressor. He was supposed to stop him, wasn't he? She was so stupid. First, getting knocked out by Jomo, then letting this nerd use her and confuse her.

"I'm sorry...I just think you should have a chance to be happy, Miss Berserk. You're clearly not happy with the way things are now. I apologize, it wasn't my place to suggest how you choose to live your life,"

"It's not like I have a choice," the words came tumbling out before she could stop them. With an angry tug, she jerked her hand away from his and threw his cape back at him. "I'm just stupid, worthless garbage and you're just a dumb fucking st-stupid nerd hero trying to trick me!" She snarled, flames licking the corners of her lips. They were quickly doused by the now pouring rain.

"I'm sorry, Miss Berserk. I didn't mean to upset you! I only wished to show you the world that exists outside of this place." Akio insisted, bowing so low his horns nearly touched the ground.

"Quit lying to me, d-dammit!" she barked, her face turning red, "You're a liar! There isn't anything outside of Viletown except new places for the Oppressor to take over! You can't change that! I can't change that! That's how it is! That's the truth!" Without waiting for him to respond, Berserk screamed and took off flying through the air, back to the mansion.

Akio watched her go, picking his cape up from the ground. A frown slowly spread across his lips. Things were worse than he'd thought. His grip on his cape tightened and his eyes narrowed.


	3. The Takedown

**The Takedown**

It was a normal day in Viletown. The bank was being robbed by the Powerpunk Girls, while the heroic Jomo Momo struggled to keep them at bay and to, maybe, stop them. Things were looking grim though, as the hero continued to struggle against his vastly more powerful opponents. People fled in terror from the scene of the fight, brushing by the mysterious stranger who seemed drawn to the violence.

The newcomer cocked his head and brought his fingers to his chin, "Could this be the place? In such disarray...so much despair and suffering. Yes, I think I have, at last, found where you are hiding," With a flourish of his bright red cape, the mysterious figure made his way toward the blaring sirens. There, in the heart of the dispute, he would find his answer.

XxXxX

"Hahaha! Is that the best you could do, Jomo?" Brat taunted, dodging another shot from the heroic monkey. She came down like a bolt of lightning, smacking him hard in the cheek, sending his blaster spinning across the ground. It landed at Brute's feet. The Powerpunk leader picked it up and looked it over.

Brute snickered, "This lame-ass thing? You thought this would beat us?" She held it out and fired it, nearly hitting Berserk, who was busy unloading the vault.

"Hey, watch it!" Berserk snapped, dropping what was left of the now vaporized sack of money she'd been carrying.

Brat sighed and put her hands on her hips, "Berserk! Be careful with the money! We came to get it, not burn it all up! You are such a klutz!"

Berserk just glared at her sister before returning to the vault. Brute snickered and threw the gun over her shoulder, advancing on Jomo. "Alright, let's finish this shit head off and get the hell out of here," she grinned and slammed her fists together.

Jomo scrambled to his feet, backing up until he, unfortunately, ran out of anywhere to run. He narrowed his eyes, "Curses…"

"Halt, that's enough!" A voice called out. Berserk had just finished clearing out the vault and paused by her sisters. She glanced at them, then back to the newcomer.

"Who is this nerd?" She asked no one in particular. The newcomer was a tall figure, human-shaped but obviously a monster with six big horns rising up from his head like antlers. Dressed in an ancient armored tunic and a red cape, he advanced on them with a stern glare. When he spoke, there was a chastising tone to his voice.

"Girls your age should know better than to take what doesn't belong to you. Have you not learned the importance of such financial institutions such as this one? Think to yourselves, would you like it if someone took the money you'd worked hard to earn? No? Then, I think it would be wise of you to return it at once!" he explained, stopping several feet from them and resting his hands on his hips.

Brat whined, "Oh my God, he talks more than Jomo, it hurts my brain...Brute make him shut up. Shoot him or punch him already or something!"

"Do you ever stop whining?" Brute muttered and shook her head, "Alright, fine, maybe this guy'll be more fun than Jomo was," she shot toward him, her fist passing through empty air where the newcomer had been standing once before. She slid to a halt and turned around, glaring at the monster. "How did you do that?"

The monster sighed, "Girls, I do not wish to engage in combat with you. However, if you continue with this nonsense, I will be forced to take you seriously and use my power to bring you to justice. I recommend you surrender peacefully," He explained.

"Talk, talk, talk! Just shut up!" Brat screeched, charging at him with a powerful punch. This time, instead of empty air, the punch got lost in a sea of red fabric. Before she could even question what was happening, the cloth wrapped around her, tight as a vice. With a grunt, the monster swung her around his head and brought her down with enough force to bring a trickle of blood to her lips. He swung her again, hurling her into the oncoming Berserk and sending them crashing into a heap on the ground.

"Ow! Get off, Berserk! You're always in the way, geez!" Brat spat, climbing to her feet and charging again.

Berserk glared after her and spat at the ground. With a growl, she joined the others' charge. The three buzzed around him like hornets, raining down vicious blows that always seemed to just barely miss their mark. When Brute threw a particularly nasty punch, it collided with Berserk instead, knocking her dazed to the ground.

"Get outta my way, pipsqueak! God dammit you're useless!" The leader spat, moments before being flung across the air by a devastating kick from the monster.

Brat tried to catch him from behind, only to have her blow blocked and a fierce knee slammed into her chest. With a swat, he threw her to the ground and quickly spun, avoiding Berserk's angry charge. With a small "Whoop!" he wrapped his arm around her neck and held her tight.

Berserk snarled and tugged at his arm, but his grip was harder than steel. As much as she spat and kicked and tugged, she couldn't break free. "Let me go! Dammit let me go!" Flames flicked at the corners of her lips. Her face was getting redder the longer he held on. She screamed, a stream of fire spraying across the air. The monster dodged the attack.

"Impressive, but futile, Miss...Berserk, was it? Please, relax before you bring harm to yourself," The monster scrunched his nose, "Miss Berserk, when did you last brush your teeth? A girl as cute as you are should take her dental hygiene seriously, always brush and floss after every meal to avoid tooth decay and gingivitis,"

"Shut up! Let go! Dammit, let go!" Her eyes were starting to water and a lump was starting to form in her throat, no matter how much she sprayed fire, it wouldn't go away.

"Aw, look Brute! Berserk has a new friend! Look at how close they are!" Brat teased, wiping the blood away from her face. She grimaced and whimpered when she felt the large bruise forming on her cheek.

Brute sat up, cradling her head, "Fuck, he's strong...ugh, quit playing around, pipsqueak!" she barked the auburn-haired sister.

"I'M TRYING!" Berserk screamed, a tear finally trickling down her cheek as she failed, again, to free herself from his grip.

"That's quite enough, Akio," A menacing voice called from the doorway.

The girls and the monster looked up. The monster's eyes widened and his grip finally loosened to allow Berserk to slip away. She snarled and glared at him, rubbing her neck and throwing dangerous looks at the still giggling Brat.

"You...you look just like him," the monster mumbled, tying his cape around his neck once more. He paused when he saw the vial of orange liquid in the man's hand. He glared into his one working eye, "You are the descendant of Jaaku,"

The man, Oppressor Plutonium, chuckled and fitted the vial he was holding into a gun of his own design. He leveled the barrel with Akio's head, "Plutonium, the Oppressor," he introduced with a small bow, "And you...the wandering monster hero, Akio. I've heard and read much about you."

"I've come to put an end to this," Akio began. The Oppressor fired the gun at him. Now, normally such weapons would simply glance off the hero's near impenetrable skin. This strange orange beam, however, tore through his arm, leaving behind a strange melted scar. He cried out, clapping his hand over the wound.

The Oppressor grinned, "You've already lost, Hero. Girls, we're leaving," He fired again, but, this time, Akio was prepared and managed to avoid the attack. The Oppressor chuckled and turned, leaving with the Powerpunk Girls, each carrying a couple sacks of money, close behind.

Akio narrowed his eyes, then turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was the monkey: Jomo Momo, with a friendly grin on his face.

"This is perfect," Jomo said. Akio cocked his head.

XxXxX

"Who was that? What was that thing?" Brute asked, throwing her sacks of money into the Oppressor's vault with a growl. "Couldn't even fuckin' hurt him!" she grumbled.

Brat sighed, setting hers down and sniffling mockingly, "And he just beat us up so much…" she grinned, elbowing Berserk, causing her to drop her money, "Well, except for Berserk. She was playing kissy-face with him," she made kissing sounds, and giggled when her sister's face lit up. She dodged the swing Berserk took at her and stuck her tongue out.

"That's enough, you little cretins," the Oppressor barked, grinning wildly as he paced back and forth, caressing his gun. "I never imagined he would show his face so soon,"

"Who is he?" Berserk growled through clenched teeth, still glaring at Brat. She sniffed and quickly wiped away the wetness left on her cheeks. Thankfully they hadn't noticed.

With a few clicks at the console on his wrist, the Oppressor brought down a screen from the ceiling. An image of the monster they'd just faced appeared on the monitor, along with a map covered in thousands of little red blips.

"Akio, a monster that has been battling our family for generations. When my ancestor, Jaaku, was nearly defeated by him, he fled and began building a new empire." The Oppressor sneered, gesturing to the blips, "We've been tracking Akio through the years, every blip is a confirmed appearance he's made. As you can see, it's taken him a very long time to reach us. I had hoped he would give us a couple more years but…" the Oppressor chuckled, "Well, you'll just have to prove your worth, won't you?"

Berserk blinked, "Huh? What…"

Brat shoved her, cutting off what she was going to say, "What do you mean, Oppressor?" she asked in her place. She grinned when Berserk glared and tried to shove her back.

"Long ago, in that battle with Akio, my ancestor Jaaku managed to get a hold on some of the monster's essence. We kept it safe for generations...until a genius was born. A brilliant mind capable of harnessing that accursed monster's power, to make a weapon that even Akio couldn't stop,"

The Oppressor turned to the girls and grinned, "You girls were made from this monster's essence to destroy him."

Brute snorted and shrugged, "Big success, huh? We couldn't even fucking hit him,"

The Powerpunk leader yelped as she was jerked off her feet by the Oppressor. With a sneer, he leaned close to her face, "Well then...you'd better figure out how, or I'll have to go back to the drawing board." He threw Brute down and turned to leave, "If it comes to that…" he turned, leveling the gun that had managed to hurt Akio with them, "I'll be wanting my ingredients back."

The punks gulped and nodded in unison.


	4. Don't Let Me Get Me

**Don't Let Me Get Me**

Akio sighed and rubbed his head, looking at the bottles strewn across the floor. He had expected a reaction, though this did seem a bit excessive even for his beloved. Cringing as he put away the empty bottles in the recycling, he made his way toward the bedroom. He rested his hand on the door knob, hearing sobbing on the other side. He set the bin down and slid inside the bedroom. The lights were out, the curtains were drawn. More empty bottles clinked as he made his way to the bed.

He'd only been gone ten, maybe twenty minutes, how could she have already gone through so much? He softly sat down at the edge of the bed. The weeping lump in the middle froze when he did. The hero gently rested his hand on her side. Like a dam overflowing, she began to sob again, trembling beneath the covers.

"Beloved, you mustn't do this to yourself. Alcohol is a wonderful beverage, enjoyed all over the world, but such indulgence is dangerous. You must remember to enjoy yourself responsibly…" he trailed off, shaking his head. She wasn't drinking to enjoy herself, he knew better than that. She only drank like this when something came up.

"I...f-fuuuuucked uuuuuuuuuuup," she slurred between gasping breaths and sobs.

"You've done no such thing! Perhaps, the way you handled the situation earlier was...excessive, but no one was permanently maimed, everyone will be able to walk again after a few weeks of therapy," He cringed when she began to bawl again and sighed, resting his chin on his hand. "It's alright, please, come out here so we can talk. Remember? Speaking about these things is a good way to cleanse your soul and be at peace,"

After hesitation for a moment, she dizzily threw the covers away. She didn't bother trying to sit up, instead scooting along the bed until her head was in his lap. She wrapped her arms around his leg and buried her face, sobbing again. "I'm shush...su-sush...su-such a f-ffaaailurrrrre," she moaned.

Akio ran his hand through her hair, flinching when he hit one of the countless tangles. She jumped slightly when he hit a snag, but the low moan in her throat was enough reason to keep smoothing her hair. "You're no such thing. You are wonderful, an inspiration to me and those around you,"

"B-bu-buut I fuuuuuuuuucked up ag-ag-agaaaaain!" she cried. True, the man whose legs she'd broken was less than pleased with her idea of dealing with his dangerous cycling through a crowded street. But, he was going to be fine. And her heart was in the right place, like it always was. She was just looking out for the possible victims of his reckless behavior.

"Beloved, no...no you haven't. Your methods are...extreme, but, you are doing what you believe is right. And, more importantly, you're still learning. Perhaps, today you made a mistake. But, now you've learned! You've made such amazing progress...I never cease to be proud of you,"

"Yo-your-yooour lyyy-lyyyying," she sobbed, "I'm g-ga-ggaaarbaage! Y-yo-you-you haaaaate meeeee!"

Akio shook his head, "Beloved, you are not garbage and I could never hate you. No, every journey we take, every day that goes by, I simply learn to love you more than I thought possible. No mistakes could change that. I am proud of you, I am proud to be with you, to be able to say I love you," he insisted.

To his surprise, Berserk shifted, tugging at his shoulder to force herself into a dizzy, unstable kneeling position. She hiccuped and drunkenly rubbed her eyes, yelping when she poked herself. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she fell against him, "I lo-loooove youuuu, K-k-Ki...yo-you're my...I loooove youuuu don't l-le-leeeeave meeeeee!" she wailed.

"I'll never leave you, Beloved," Akio promised.

"Wi-wi-will you h-h-hug m-me?" she whimpered, biting her lip to hold back another sob. Akio chuckled and slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his lap. She buried her face in his chest and snuggled into his embrace. Akio kissed her head.

"As long as you want, Beloved," he whispered.


	5. She Will Be Loved

**She Will Be Loved**

Raining...it was always raining when she decided she needed to get away. With an angry growl, she wiped her eyes, sighing when she looked down to see her hand covered in smeared make-up. She felt like shit, might as well look the part as well. It was supposed to be a good day; if nothing else, it should have been better than most days. Their birthday was always a special event...the Oppressor turned them loose on Viletown to do whatever they wanted.

This year though...Berserk shuddered and clenched her eyes shut. She swore she wouldn't cry anymore, she was getting too old to keep crying.

Then the storm started. Berserk cringed when another streak of lightning arced across the sky. She clenched her eyes shut, waiting for the bang. Her heart skipped a beat and her breath caught in her throat when it exploded overhead. Even if she was cold and miserable, at least she didn't have to be around those bitches right now. They'd just make fun of her again.

She touched down, stalking through the muddy streets with no destination in mind at all. Another clap of thunder echoed overhead, bringing her to a halt. He was there, waiting across from her.

Berserk rubbed her nose and looked up at him. The hero smiled softly, offering her an umbrella. She shook her head, turning her eyes down again.

"Miss Berserk, if you keep standing in the rain, you'll catch a cold," Akio insisted, walking closer to shield her under his umbrella. "You shouldn't make a habit of going for a walk in storms, Miss Berserk. How many times have we met this way?"

"Too many, Akio," she muttered, pushing her hair away from her face. Her lips twitched, she glanced up at him, "Thanks...or whatever,"

Akio smiled, "You must be freezing, would you like my cape?" He let her take the umbrella as he undid his cape, wrapping it around her, like he had when she was a little girl. He took the umbrella back and Berserk pulled the cape tighter around her shoulders.

They stood like that for a while, listening to the rain slap against the concrete prison surrounding them. She shuffled her feet, inadvertently moving closer. Akio cleared his throat, adjusting his hold on the umbrella. Shivering, Berserk held her hands up and breathed a small flame into them. To Akio's surprise, it stayed in her hands, warming them both.

"You've gotten much better at controlling your fire, Miss Berserk," Akio commented. Berserk nodded, stepping closer to him still. He quietly thanked her and they went back to silence.

His curiosity did, unfortunately, get the better of him, "Miss Berserk, why are you out here? It's not every day you turn fifteen. You should be home, or with friends and enjoying yourself,"

Berserk stared at her fire, "Home sucks, I hate it. And I don't have friends…" her lips twitched again and her cheeks turned pink, "I just...have you,"

She peeked up at him. Akio smiled, slipping his hand beneath her cupped hands, helping her hold the flame steady. When his hand touched hers, her trembling eased and her heart raced.

"You do have me, Miss Berserk. You always will,"

She laughed softly, finally smiling, "Yeah...yeah I guess...I will um…"

"Can I do anything for you for your birthday?" he asked.

"Yeah…" she responded suddenly. Her eyes were locked with his. Akio's cheeks flushed and he quickly cleared his throat, "Yeah you can…" she whispered, slipping closer to him. Her hands fell, dropping the flame to the ground.

Akio took a step back, but wasn't quick enough to stop her lips from softly touching his. Berserk shivered when she pulled away, licking her lips.

"W-will you...will you hug me?" she whispered.

Akio nodded, slipping his arms around her and holding her tight. His face was bright red, his eyes wide. His heart was racing, matching the rapid pitter-patter of hers.

Berserk buried herself in his embrace, a smile finding its way to her lips.


	6. Think About Me

**Think About Me**

Berserk stomped around the room the girls were forced to share, grumbling to herself. Her sisters were such stupid jerks, always being...being stupid jerks. She sighed and threw herself down on the bed, glaring at the ceiling. It was only a few hours since their battle with that monster, Akio. Now the Oppressor was telling them they needed to find a way to beat him or he was going to...she swallowed and turned to glare out her window. It wasn't much of a view, all she could see was the outer wall from where she was laying.

With a grunt, she sat up and rested her chin in her mitts, "Stupid jerk nerd hero…" she glowered and looked down at her mitt, "My teeth look fine...right?" She tried cupping her hands and breathing into them. She swallowed, cringing. "...Stupid n-nerd...telling me what to do with m-my p-personal hyg-hygiene...f-fine, I probably haven't brushed in a...it hasn't been that long!" She argued with herself, grumbling and storming to her bathroom.

Berserk glared at her toothbrush. It was a nasty thing, one she'd had for two years now. She grimaced and threw it down, stomping out of the bathroom again. Stupid hero, making her get a new toothbrush...might as well get new toothpaste too…

XxXxX

"C'mon are you serious?!" Brute growled, hitting the ground and skidding to a halt on her hands and knees. It was Terrorizing Thursday! They were supposed to terrorize! And they couldn't if that damn new hero monster was getting in the way! With another growl, and a brief recollection of the Oppressor's warning, she flung herself back into the fray.

Akio was dodging all of Brat and Berserk's attacks as easily as he had a couple of days ago. When Brat came in for devastating kick, he slipped to the side, bringing out his cape again.

"No, no, no! Not aga-" Brat found herself caught in the cape again and screamed, thrown through the air and into a parked car.

"Ah! My apologies!" Akio exclaimed, rushing to the car and inspecting the dent he'd left in the door. With another mumbled apology, he began muttering and pressing his now glowing hands against the dent. In seconds, almost like time reversing, it was repaired. "There we go...everything is as it should be! Now," he turned, only to nearly have Berserk's fist collide with his face.

The two were inches from each other. He sniffed, and a broad grin spread across his face, "Miss Berserk! You took my advice! Your breath is lovely today! Did you remember to floss as well?"

Berserk's cheeks lit up and her eyes narrowed, "YES I FLOSSED YOU STUPID NERD!" she screamed, louder than she meant to, blowing a stream of fire at his face. It slipped through empty air, nearly incinerating Brat instead.

"Ow! Hot! Berrrserrrrk! Watch it! Brute, she's showing off again! Make her stop!" Brat whined, hurling the car Akio had repaired at him.

"Berserk knock it off! Just beat his ass, pipsqueak!" Brute grunted, catching the car that was meant to collide with Akio. She set it down and quickly found herself drilled back into the ground by another devastating blow.

The girls regrouped, bruised and beaten up. Berserk's cheeks were still red, her fists were trembling and there was a growl building up in her throat. This stupid idiot nerd fucking asshole. Who did he think he was? She was a villain! Who cares if she had bad breath? Well now she had good breath so he could just fuck off! He could fuck off and die!

Akio brushed his tunic off, "You seem especially driven today. However, I must remind you, you cannot beat me. Please, consider surrendering and then perhaps we can work out some agreement to make amends for the damage you've caused the city?" he suggested.

"Wow, I never thought about that. Maybe he's right? We should just give up and be good girls, NO FUCK THAT! SHUT UP!" Brat screeched, stomping her foot.

Akio sighed and raised his defense once more. It was going to be a long afternoon.


	7. Roadside

Roadside

This was it, her last chance. They'd made it perfectly clear, if she couldn't get her act together, she was going to be in big trouble. Berserk snorted and spat, glaring down her opponent. Whatever happened, she had to make sure this plan went off without a hitch. The Oppressor was sure they were close to a breakthrough, something that could tip the scales in their favor, to the point that not even...not even Akio could stand in their way.

"Give it up Berserk, you know you can't beat me," Bass jeered, crossing his arms and peering at her through his long bangs. His stupid fucking bangs and their stupid fucking blue dye. Why did she always have to fight this emo twat?

Berserk's lips twitched and her nose scrunched. He wasn't wrong though, she'd never beaten him in a fight. Winning wasn't important though, all that mattered was she kept him distracted while the others took care of their part, "Whatever, you aren't even worth the effort," she spat back. To prove her point, she brushed her jacket off and turned away from him, preparing to fly back to the others.

He took the bait, "Don't run from me, you witch!" he barked, appearing next to her in a flash. She managed to block the first few attacks, but as he got into a rhythm they started coming faster and harder. With a grunt, she caught his fist and held it back. The next blow wouldn't be so forgiving. She swore he was going to throw a hook. As she ducked to avoid it, she came face to fist with a devastating uppercut, sending her flying into the air. There was a boom as he shot ahead of her and brought his fists down, sending her careening toward the ground.

She slammed into the pavement, coughing and sputtering a small stream of blood. The Powerpunk managed to get out of the crater, just as the hero's feet came down, splitting the street open. He growled and dove at her. Again, she just managed to avoid the punch. This time, she came back with a wallop of her own, a wicked haymaker that caught him at the peak of his momentum, sending him tearing through the street.

Bass sat up, coughing and rubbing his cheek. He hadn't expected her to pull off something that abrupt. Berserk was known for her temper tantrums and being a slacker, not for her keen strategizing. He glared and shot toward her at full speed. She wouldn't get lucky again!

His aim was slightly off though, and she managed to dodge the punch. He came to an abrupt halt, sending a sonic boom in his wake, tearing up street signs and sending benches and even cars flying behind him.

Berserk's eyes widened. In a flash she was gone.

Bass looked around, his jaw dropping slightly when he saw her. Somehow, Berserk had shot by, faster than he ever expected, and caught the car he'd kicked up with his attack. She was holding it up on her back, like Atlas holding the world, glaring at the dog cowering on the ground in front of her. The dog blinked and looked up and around. His eyes locked with Berserk's and he screamed.

"B-b-b-Berserk! Y-you...you save…" the dog muttered.

Berserk growled and heaved the car to the side, "Get lost before you get hurt," she hissed. The dog nodded and took off running at full speed. Berserk brushed her jacket off and turned around, glaring at Bass. "Are we doing this, or you just gonna stare at my ass?"

"You just saved that dog. What, I thought you liked kicking puppies and drowning kittens?" Bass taunted, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

Berserk glanced at the dog. She swallowed, suddenly feeling a sharp pain in the back of her mind. Why had she saved the dog? She glanced at the ground. She hadn't really thought it through. She just...noticed he was in trouble, so she had to save him. It's what...she swallowed and clenched her eyes, shaking her head. She couldn't think about that.

She couldn't think about how it's what he would have done.

"I don't know, okay? I thought it was something important, it doesn't matter. Aren't you supposed to be fighting me?" Berserk brought her fists up in a half-hearted fighting stance.

Bass snorted, "What? You wanna fight now? I thought I wasn't worth the time?" He slapped his forehead, gasping, "Are you serious? You're just a distraction, aren't you?"

Berserk blinked, eyes widening, "What? No, no I'm not! I'm a serious threat, so fight me or I'll burn the city down!" Taking a deep breath, Berserk spun around, spraying the streets with fire. She had to admit, seeing things burn, hearing the crackle of the flames, it brought a grin to her face. It made it harder to feel her headache.

Bass growled, bringing his fists up. Before he could charge, he noticed two streaks of light approaching. Berserk's fists lowered and her gaze shifted skyward. His brothers appeared. Beat was beyond irritated and Blast was...well...sputtering with anger.

"It was a trick! The whole thing was a trick!" Blast spat, landing roughly beside Bass. He thrust his finger at Berserk, his eyes narrowed dangerously, "While we were wasting time fighting these stupid girls, the Oppressor managed to invade Jomo's lair! We lost the Anti-X Ray! We lost everything!"

Berserk smirked; that meant they won! She took a step back. Her eyes widened, she glanced over her shoulder. Beat was pressed up against her, his lips pulled back in a scowl.

"Where do you think you're going?" he muttered.

Berserk shrugged, backing away from him. She glanced over her shoulder at his brothers and swallowed the nervous lump in her throat. Her sisters would show up to bail her out, right? That was the plan...separate them, sack the lab, then group up again and kick their asses like they always did. So...where were her sisters?

"We lost everything...but at least we got a punk out of the deal," Blast spat, closing in on her from the other side.

Berserk spun to face him, her fists close to her chest. Where were her sisters? This wasn't part of the plan! "Back off loser, once my sisters get here, we're going to crush you fuckers like we always do," she hissed.

"Well, it looks like they're running late," Bass muttered, "Guess we'll just have to start without them,"

Berserk blinked. She shot into the air, narrowly avoiding Beat's charge. She spun to avoid a heat ray from Blast, only have Bass's fist collide with her cheek. She went sailing through the air and a knee crashed into her back, sending her plummeting toward the ground.

She spat out a stream of blood, her eyes wide. Where were her sisters? She couldn't beat them all at once! The Oppressor's words flashed in her mind, his sly grin, the dangerous glint in her eyes.

"Your loyalty is already in question, Berserk. Your behavior around my family's nemesis is deplorable. I want to know I can trust you. After this mission, I expect you'll never disappoint me again,"

She shivered, climbing to her feet and looking around at the boys as they circled her. She swallowed and brought her fists up. Was that his plan all along?

Did he mean for her to...for them to…

Her hands dropped and her jaw clenched. She could feel the heat burning in her eyes. The boys wasted little time closing in on her. She wanted to fight back, but why even try? He'd planned this from the beginning. This was what she deserved for getting close to Akio, for betraying the Oppressor. She was less than garbage, a miserable little traitor. She deserved to d-

Berserk tried to hold back the scream, tried to keep herself from crying. Bass had his arms linked through hers, holding her like a punching bag while Blast and Beat took turns kicking the shit out of her. Blast brought his fist down on at her face; her mouth filled up with blood. Beat's fist collided with her stomach; the blood sprayed out, splattering on his shirt.

"Great, just great. I liked this shirt!" Beat complained, trying his best to wipe off the stain.

Bass grimaced, shoving the broken Powerpunk to the ground when she stopped fighting against him, "Guys this is messed up, let's just bail. We need to get the lab fixed,"

"What? There isn't a lab, Bass! They wrecked everything!" Blast insisted, still seething.

"Yeah, well she didn't," Bass pointed out, "She's been fighting me this whole time. She didn't do anything. She never does anything, she's just a distraction! We're wasting time, just like the Oppressor and the other two want us to!"

"Yeah, yeah, you're right…" Beat sighed, scratching his head. He glanced down at Berserk and grimaced, looking away sheepishly, "Ugh, we really screwed up this time."

Blast growled, taking a step toward Berserk.

Her head was swimming, Even though it was starting to get later in the day, the lights around her felt blinding. Berserk forced her eyes open and glanced up.

There was a boot coming at her face.


	8. Short Change Hero

**Short Change Hero**

The hero groaned and slapped his forehead again, stalking around his dirty little lab. Why couldn't this mysterious stranger understand him? What did he need to do to prove his point? What evidence would he find sufficient to finally realize the certainty of what he had been told, that being that he was the last hope for this world in the face of the nigh unstoppable, invincible, indomitable force that was the Powerpunk Girls?

"Mister Jomo, I do not wish to interrupt, however, you have been speaking out loud," The hero, Akio, pointed out.

Jomo slid to a halt, rubbing the back of his head, "Ah, yes, my apologies Mister Ah-key-ho, I had meant to internalize my monologue, to keep it within my own head so that, there in my head, I could work out my thoughts and, in working them out, find the most succinct, specific, perfect way to inform you of that which you must be informed. That is," Jomo marched to the nearest console and plucked away at the keys.

"Um, it is pronounced Akio, Mister Jomo. And I understand your concern, however, I do not believe in such hasty action. The girls are strong, but they're not the real threat. The threat is the descendant of Jaaku,"

Akio sighed, trailing off as a video appeared on the screen. He cocked his head, surprised to see it showed the girls he'd met before causing incredible mischief! In the first video, they were cackling with sadistic glee as they tore through the city, pulling down walls, hurling cars, tearing down power lines!

"Oh my...that is so very dangerous! They could be shocked...and what if someone needs to phone for assistance? With the phone lines taken out, who knows what trouble could stir?" Akio mused, tapping his fingers against his chin.

Jomo sighed and nodded, "This is the fate of Viletown," the video flipped, now showing Jomo himself struggling to battle the girls. He had built a very impressive robot, but the girls tore through it like tissue paper and managed to beat the stuffing out of the hero quite handily, laughing all the way. "The Powerpunk Girls, Oppressor Plutonium's most devious, insidious, vicious and powerful creation. Their powers seem near unlimited. Without limit, there is no telling what they are capable of, and, being unable to pinpoint that which is their limit, I, along with those who, like me, are dedicated to the freedom, liberation and well being of Viletown, am unable to devise such a weapon or creation that could defeat, stop, or thwart their dastardly deeds," Jomo sighed, flipping to another video.

This one depicted another set of girls, very similar to the ones he'd fought before, "Once, an opportunity for change arrived on our doorstep. As if from nowhere, they appeared. With their help I was very nearly able to defeat them once and for all, to put an end to their evil, to at last put them behind bars!" The video depicting Jomo holding the girls at gunpoint suddenly changed, now showing him in a bloodied mess, his gun molten slag at his side.

"Oh...oh that seems very painful," Akio commented.

Jomo laughed mirthlessly, "Yes, quite painful, it hurt me, both physically and emotionally. The toll it took on my body was great, but the toll on my spirit even greater. Victory was handed to me, but even in the face of defeat, they were able to gather the power to overcome my last, final, ultimate chance to put them down. I was so close...I always get so close, only to fail…" he trailed off.

Akio watched as Berserk lit up the city street, giggling wickedly and fanning the flames. She blew another stream of fire at a citizen running by and laughed harder, "Such a gift, it's a shame to see her using it so irresponsibly,"

Jomo snorted, "Ah, yes, Powerpunk Berserk's fire breath...I nearly succeeded in using that 'gift' to defeat them. Her sisters do not share this ability, it is hers alone, a power only she possesses. It has caused much friction, strife...erm, jealousy in her sisters," Jomo began pacing once more. "Even with the wedge between them, they're simply too powerful to overcome. But you, you, Hero Atchikoo, you were able to defeat them! Quite easily! You are our last hope, our greatest ally, our savior! With your powers, you can surely defeat them for good!"

To Jomo's utter disappointment, Akio shook his head and bowed until his horns touched the ground. "I am sorry, Mister Jomo. I will not help you destroy them. They may be evil, but they are still children. The descendant of Jaaku is to blame here, I believe they can still be saved," He said his goodbyes, thanked Jomo for his hospitality and turned on his heel, vanishing with a flourish of his cape.


	9. Bulls on Parade

**Bulls on Parade**

The Rowdyright Boys, a trio of super-powered boys created by Jomo Momo to act as the ultimate "fight fire with fire" approach to taking down the Powerpunk Girls. Akio had heard about them, but truth be told he was surprised it had taken this long for them to make an appearance. He'd been watching the girls for some time now, watching as the scattered vigilantes around the city attempted to take them out. So far, none had come particularly close. Though, he had to admit that the Fluffy one had managed to land a few good blows a week ago.

Akio shook his head, resting his chin on his hands. Jomo had told him about his sons: Bass, Beat, and Blast. He was proud of them. Prior to Akio's appearance, they had come the closest to bringing down the Powerpunk Girls. But...Akio sighed and shook his head again, watching as Brute tackled Beat out of the sky and straight into the ground. He glanced up, just in time to see Brat pin Blast to the ground and start tugging at his hair.

The leader seemed to be having a better shot against Berserk, he noticed with a frown.

XxXxX

Bass sighed, flipping his bangs out of his face again. Berserk frowned and clenched her fists tighter. He was such a stupid little prissy boy, always primping and preening his hair. He was almost as bad as Brute! She growled and took another swing at him. Bass managed to dodge, grinning and throwing a kick at her. She ducked under it easily enough, hovering lazily away from him.

"What's wrong? Tired already Zerky? You wanna take a break?" he jeered. He laughed when she glowered and dodged another swing. He brought both hands up and swung them down at her, only to miss and get a face full of her foot. She shoved him back.

Berserk spat, "I'm not tired, you're just boring...you never win, why even bother?" It didn't make any sense. These stupid boys never won, they just showed up, got their butts kicked, then left crying. She couldn't help giggling, recalling how much he'd freaked out when she burnt his bangs off. She'd have to do that again.

"Oh, you're bored? I thought you were still asleep. Maybe I should really try? Ooh, if I try, are you gonna get mad and turn red? You're really cute when you're mad," Bass grinned. He began to laugh when Berserk's cheeks turned pink and her eyes narrowed dangerously.

Like a bullet, she shot across the sky at him, her blow ready to take his head off. Bass dodged and managed a punch on the back of her head before flying back again. She rubbed her head, growling, "Just fight me, you damn wuss!" she snarled.

"Aw, what's wrong? Getting frustrated? Man, you look cute today, did you brush your teeth? Or just get the gold caps taken out?" The blond boy laughed again, still grinning at her.

That did it, she could feel her chest hitching. Her lips trembled and her fists clenched. Smoke rose up from the corners of her mouth. She blinked and looked up, just as his fist was coming at her. She tilted her head to the side and pulled her fist back. She saw those dopey blue eyes open wide; her lips pulled back into a snarl, flaming flicking through her teeth. With a shout, she swung at him with a devastating haymaker, hurling him into a crater in the ground.

Bass coughed and sat up, quickly dodging a follow up attack. He started to back away, but froze, gasping. Berserk took a deep breath and roared, smothering the street in a wave of fire. He managed to dodge the attack, only to realize that she'd set most of the street on fire.

"Oh no, that's no good-wait!" He tried to stop her, but she just screamed and blew another stream of fire at him. He dodged, allowing it to hit the apartment building behind him. The windows shattered and he could hear screams inside as the fire quickly spread. "This is bad! I gotta put this out, someone's gonna get hurt!"

He coughed, doubling over when her fist collided with his stomach. She pulled back and threw a wicked hook, smashing him through another building. With another scream, she filled the air with fire again.

Bass sat up, covering his nose and trying to stay low, under the smoke filling the room. A knee hit his side. Before he could fall, she caught him by his precious bangs and hurled him out the wall again. The room around them began to collapse; Berserk shot out into the street, slamming Bass into a parked car. With a grunt, she snatched the car and hurled it through a shop window.

"You think I'm a joke...you think this is funny? Laugh at this, shit-for-brains!" Berserk snarled, unleashing another torrent of flames.

XxXxX

Akio stood up from his perch, blinking in surprise. The fight had seemed even for so long, and then, like a light switch, Berserk took control and the boy wasn't able to fight back anymore.

He nodded, jumping from his perch and toward the fire.


	10. Crying Out

**Crying Out**

The ground split the moment her fist collided with it. The hero threw himself backward, eyes wide and lips pulled back in a nervous grimace. He could feel the flames coming off of her. There was a part of her that hesitated, he'd noticed that at the last minute. That piece of her was the only reason he'd managed to avoid the blow. Akio stood up straight, brushing his tunic off and, uneasily, lifting his fists.

Why was she doing this?

"Miss Berserk? I don't mean to seem rude, but this seems very unnecessary. Why are you fighting me? You haven't committed a crime recently, I have no reason to scold you," he questioned.

Berserk spat and glared at him, speaking through clenched teeth, "I'm not a little kid for you to coddle! I'm not a fucking baby! You...you're just…" she clenched her eyes shut and trembled. The Oppressor had told her about him. His power to influence thoughts with his words. How he could convince someone to see things his way with a kind word or gentle touch. The way he was making her feel. Her cheeks began to flush.

The way he made her heart race. The warm fuzzy feeling she got when he was around. It was all a lie! It was just a trick to use her! He was not better than the Oppressor! He was just...just another user!

"You're a liar!" she screeched, hurling herself at him, with enough force to shatter the street beneath her feet.

Akio slid back, just barely avoiding the punch. He grunted, quickly bringing his fists up, blocking and deflecting the onslaught of attacks. He'd been watching her battles, even battling her himself, for the last three years. His eyes narrowed; he hadn't seen her attack with this much ferocity since the incident a year ago.

Akio caught her fist, quickly blocking a follow up attack, "Miss Berserk, I assure you, I would never lie to you. That would be rude, not to mention downright mean. I have been nothing if not completely honest. Please, believe me and we can put this silly fight to an end."

"LIAR!" she roared, unleashing her fire breath right in his face. Akio was forced to endure the full brunt of the attack, sliding along the ground with the force. He thrust his arms back, splitting the flames in two. He cringed, dodging another deadly punch. Her take off, the ground erupting again, had given her away. He made sure to thank his lucky stars, and his good ears!

No sooner had he blocked her next attack, she screamed again, unleashing another torrent of flames. This one he brushed away with his cape, only to take a vicious punch right in the chin, knocking him through a window. He quickly climbed to his feet, dodging her next attack. He blinked; he wasn't imagining things, she really was coated in flames. She spun at him, roaring and breathing flames all around her.

Even he had to cringe in the heat of that fire.

"Miss Berserk, calm yourself! You're going to make a mess!" He insisted, dodging another blow and cringing when it tore down the wall behind him. He had to get her away from any possible bystanders. Apologizing under his breath, he managed to catch her in his cape and hurl her back into the street.

Berserk managed to get free much sooner than he had hoped, bursting from the cape like a tornado of hatred and fire, spreading her destruction across the, thankfully abandoned, city block. That fire though...it was quickly becoming a problem. Already it had spread to another building.

"Miss Berserk. Please, let's talk about this misunderstanding. Whatever you wish to know, I promise to tell you only the truth. I swear it on my honor," Akio pleaded, to no avail. She charged again, somehow even faster. He tried to dodge, as he had before, but she called his feint and spun on a dime, swinging and catching him in the cheek.

He grunted, stumbling back step after step with each blow. Screaming, she slammed his cheek with a mighty hook, nearly knocking him to the ground. Akio caught himself, panting and rubbing his face. He glanced up at her.

His heart ached to see it, but he could see she was crying. Her face was bright red, her sobs interrupted by her own bitter screams and breaths of fire.

"L-liar, you lied to me, you're all just filthy fucking liars! You're ALL THE SAME!" She lunged at him, only for her fist to pass harmlessly through the air. With a frown, tears in his eyes, Akio slammed his hand down on the back of her neck, knocking her to the ground unconscious.

He quickly knelt down, turning her over and cradling her in his arms. Her face was streaked with hot, angry tears. But, she seemed almost at peace now that she'd been rendered unconscious. He bit his lip and held her closer, caressing her hair.

"Miss Berserk, I am so sorry. Please forgive me for every wrong I've made against you. Please, forgive me for this and I swear I will make it better…" He gasped when he felt her moving. He pulled back, mouth hanging open.

She slowly cracked her eyes open. Her lips quivered and she hiccuped, "You...were...holding back?" she asked, her words slurred, uneasy.

He sighed and nodded, "It is not your fault, Miss Berserk. This whole situation is mine and mine alone. Please forgive me, I never meant to hurt you."

She swallowed and bit her lip again, a few more tears rolling down her cheeks. With another hiccup, she wiped her eyes, "I'm s-sorry, Akio,"

He shushed her and held her close again. His eyes were wide, his mouth still hanging open. How had she recovered so quickly? Was she...Akio looked down at the little girl in his arms. Had she been holding back as well?


	11. Second Chance

**Second Chance**

The young woman sighed, moving her arm to block out the sun beating down overhead. She groaned and stretched her legs out. As hard as she tried, she couldn't find a comfortable spot on the bus stop bench she'd thrown herself across. She licked her lips and peered up at the bright blue sky overhead. Birds were chirping, kids were running around laughing and playing. Slowly, a half-smile spread across her face. It was calm, peaceful...honestly it was a little irritating. But, he wasn't wrong; she was starting to enjoy it.

Berserk sat up and stretched her legs out, her arms up over her head, yawning. Akio was taking his sweet time finishing up at the post-office. She glanced back over her shoulder toward the building. She was having second thoughts about offering to wait outside.

"Hey! Move it lady!" a little voice cried, followed by a small prick of pain at her ankles and the sound of someone crashing to the ground.

Berserk raised an eyebrow, nonchalantly pulling her legs back and peering down at the skateboarder she'd tripped. She leaned forward, wearing a bemused little grin, and rested her chin on her hands, watching as the kid picked himself up.

"Sick moves, dude. You're a real pro," she teased, perhaps with a bit more venom than she meant. The kid glared at her, angrily grabbing his skateboard.

"If your big fat feet weren't in the way it would have been!" he yelled back. Berserk's eye twitched and her grin quickly faded. She took a deep breath, turning to peek at the post office again. It was just a kid, no reason to get upset.

Still, "Maybe if you pulled your fucking head out of your ass, you wouldn't hit people trying to relax, you little shit-head," Nailed it, she thought with an inner groan. If Akio heard her, she'd never hear the end of it.

"Oh, excuse me Miss Queen of the Sidewalk. Man, I thought queen's were supposed to be pretty, not ugly old hags," he sneered.

Berserk's eye twitched again and her lips began to pull back. She could taste smoke on her breath. This little shit, did he know who she was? Did he have any fucking clue?

"Look here pissface, you're lucky my boyfriend is on his way back, or I'd kick your ass two ways into next week," That wasn't going to win her any points with Akio. Now she was really hoping he'd show up before this kid forced her to put her money where her mouth was. She wasn't a villain anymore, but there was no way she was going to let some shitty little kid diss her and get away with it.

The kid laughed, "You have a boyfriend? Wow, poor guy. What did he do to deserve a hag like you?"

Now, ideally, Berserk realized she could have just rolled her eyes and told him to get lost. In a perfect world, she probably would have even tripped him or sprayed a little fire his way and giggled as he ran screaming.

Of course, things didn't always go as planned, so when she lunged from her seat and grabbed him by his collar, she couldn't say she was surprised. She pulled her fist back and snorted flames from her nose, yanking the kid off the ground and hovering a few feet into the air. Despite the dangerous snarl on her lips, she almost felt like grinning when she saw the look of terror in his eyes; when she heard him scream.

"You wanna fight me, you little shit? You think you're tough? Fucking, let's go. I'll fucking fight you right here, right now you-" Berserk trailed off, swallowing nervously, when she felt a tug on her ankle. She glanced down, spotting Akio.

"Beloved, please, put the child down. I have finished my errands and we are free to depart," he explained.

Berserk snorted and dropped to the ground, giving the kid a shove, "Hey!" she shouted when he started to take off. It took all of her willpower, but she managed to gently kick his skateboard toward him, "Watch your mouth! And watch where you're going!" she called after him. The kid just tore off down the sidewalk, only pausing long enough to flip her off before rounding a corner.

Akio chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. It helped, but wasn't enough to stop her from seething and growling under her breath.

"I'm proud of you. Just last week you would have actually harmed such an unpleasant child," Akio beamed, planting a kiss on her head.

Berserk sighed and let her fists fall to her sides, "I really wanted to kick his ass…" she whined.

Akio laughed again and gave her another squeeze, "I know, children can be quite troublesome. But, recall how, not long ago, you were quite the handful yourself. Children can change, they grow up,"

Berserk rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know...so what did you get?" she asked, trying to get a peek at the package beneath his arm as the two melted into the crowd and went on to their next adventure.


	12. What a Catch, Donnie

**What A Catch, Donnie**

It was a warm night. The skies were clear, the stars were twinkling bright over the little town they'd stopped in for the evening. Akio had left the curtains open wide to let the moonlight pour into their tiny motel room, filling the small room with soft blue-silver light. Not that the room's other occupant had really noticed. The two were enjoying the love seat, which barely qualified as little more than a fat recliner if one wanted to be pedantic, and watching some late night broadcast of a movie from eight years ago with the best parts censored out. And, as Akio sat enthralled with the movie, Berserk lay across the couch, legs dangling off the arm, head on his lap and staring up at him.

Every chuckle or gasp, every tiny reaction to anything that happened in the boring old movie brought a smile to her lips. She bit her lip, blushing softly when he noticed her stare and rewarded her with a bright smile. He gave her hair, ever unkempt and tangled, a gentle caress; the young woman moaned softly, the fluttering in her chest picking up speed.

Maybe it was the light, casting a phantasmal glow across his already inhumanly wonderful face. Maybe it was the alcohol pumping through her system, she thought as she gently sat the mostly empty bottle down on the floor. But, something about that night was stirring up the butterflies in Berserk's belly...and stoking the fire a little bit lower.

"Ki?" she mouthed, the words catching in her suddenly dry throat. She licked her lips and took the last swig of her beer, throwing the bottle down again.

Akio frowned and cocked his head disapprovingly, "Beloved, you know better than to make a mess of this place. We were lucky to find accommodations under such short notice. It would be impolite to-" his lecture was cut off by a sudden, uncharacteristic giggle. The normally invincible hero fell back against the tiny love seat, doing what little he could to fend off his companions drunken fingers, slipping up the white undershirt he usually slept in.

"Kiiiii, you talk sooo muh...mush...much," Berserk slurred, giggling as she shifted her weight, moving until she had him pinned back against the arm of the love seat, "Shh.. don't talk anymore,"

Akio sputtered, finally managing to catch her wrists. The soft blush on his cheeks lit up bright red when he noticed the way she'd managed to slide on top of him; when he felt the way she was slowly grinding her hips against his. He glanced up, his breath catching in his throat. She was just inches from his face, her cheeks flushed with more than just liquor. She bit her lip, sliding his shirt higher.

"B-Beloved...thi-this is a," Akio cleared his throat, struggling to catch his breath. Her hands wandered to his chest, the mischievous intent from earlier gone, replaced by something far more... "In-inappropriate." He shuddered when she pressed her lips against his neck.

"Kiiii, shhh…" Berserk murmured, trailing kisses along his jaw, "You worrrry too muh...much," His grip on her wrists tightened; she paused, biting her lip again. "You don't...want to?"

That gave him enough time to catch his breath, and recollect his thoughts. The truth of it was…"Beloved, it's not that I don't desire to, erm…" his cheeks flushed again and Berserk responded with a dizzy giggle, "M-make l-love to you, I just…"

She shushed him again, this time with a feather soft kiss on his lips, "You don't have to be afraid."

"What if I hurt you?"

Another kiss, "I'm a tough girl, I'll be okay."

"What if...we do it wrong? I've never-"

Another kiss, this one longer, deeper, "Neither have I, so what? We'll keep trying until we get it right."

"What if it isn't...everything you imagine it to be? I don't want to-"

This time, when she pressed her lips against his, he welcomed her, moaning softly as her tongue slid into his mouth, gently massaging his before slipping away again. This time, he was the one left wanting more. "As long as it's with you, Ki, it'll be everything I've ever wanted,"

She peered into his eyes, the longing clear. She'd been patient, he couldn't deny her that. Akio nodded, his heart racing when her hands slid away from his chest, tugging at his waistband. He blushed again when she giggled, finally freeing him from his sweatpants.

Berserk giggled again and kissed his cheek, "You're all ready for me...good, I'm ready for you too, Ki," she murmured, sitting up and sliding her panties away.

His breath caught in his cotton-dry throat. A smile cracked through his apprehension when she nearly fell off of him, mumbling a drunken thanks when he managed to catch her, "C-Careful, B-Beloved, I cer-certainly don't wish for this first time to be our l-last," he joked, struggling to find the right words, feeling her hot sex so close to his member.

"Mmmm...yeaaah that would be b-baaad," Berserk giggled. She bit her lip, grabbing the back of the couch to steady herself. Suddenly, she regretted the sixth bottle, but she would be damned if she gave up this opportunity because gravity wanted to play her for a fool. Narrowing her eyes, and focusing all of her concentration, she took a deep breath and gently lowered herself onto him.

They both froze, breathing heavily. Berserk lost her grip on the couch and slid forward, but Akio caught her hips. She caught herself on his chest, tongue half hanging out of her mouth.

Akio swallowed nervously, "Are you...is it...does it hurt? A-Are you uncomfortable?"

Berserk bit her lip and pushed herself up, groaning and breathing heavily, "No! No...no it's...it's different...it's not what I ah!" she fell forward into his chest again. She thanked her lucky stars that Akio was as strong as he was. "D-does it...does it feel bad?" she asked sheepishly.

"N-no, of course not! It's, yes, d-different is a g-good word," Akio admitted, "but not bad!" he quickly added.

Berserk nodded, sitting up again, "Okay...okay, so now, I just need to…" She grabbed onto Akio's wrist, just in case gravity decided to be a jerk again, and slid back, then forward again. She shivered and winced. With a small nod, she did it again. Then again, and again. Each time, she felt her confidence growing just a little bit. She peeked up at Akio and a small grin spread across her face.

He had one hand dug into the love seat, so much so that his fingers had torn through the cheap fabric. He noticed her staring and blushed, "C-can I...sh-should I um-"

Berserk shook her head, thrusting again. The butterflies in her belly went wild when she felt him shake beneath her. Still biting her lip, so much so that she was afraid she may start bleeding, she bounced a little faster, a puff of air escaping from her own lips.

She finally let go of his wrist, leaning onto him for support. He began to grind in rhythm with her. He was the first to moan, the sound escaping from him suddenly. Another grin pierced through her concentration, quickly followed by a moan of her own.

"K-ki...h-hold m-my," His hands slid up her thighs, fingers unintentionally teasing her trembling backside, before coming to rest on her hips. She whimpered and nodded, thrusting a little harder, a little faster.

The look on his face, she realized she couldn't take her eyes away from him. Every moan, every desperate sigh and murmur of confirmation gave her a little more courage. "B-Beloved, you feel s-so-" when he lost his thoughts in a blissful cry, she felt the drunken haze clearing a bit more. She thrust against him a little harder, with a little more urgency. He was shaking, she thought with a smile. He had to be close, she could feel it!

"Ki...Ki, are you...is this okay? Do you.."

"Yes! Yes, please don't stop!"

Berserk's chest hitched and she felt wetness in her eyes. She nodded, gasping when he sat up to meet her in a sudden kiss. Her arms slid around his neck, her tongue explored his mouth. Now she was the one crying out with every thrust, she was the one trembling. Hot, fat tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"Yes...Beloved, yes, I'm...I'm going to…" Akio groaned and Berserk lost her composure, thrusting quicker still. He exploded inside her. God, with every pump of his hips against hers, it was like a geyser erupting from an impossibly deep well of ecstasy. Every burst, every shot of him inside of her brought out an even greater need to keep going.

To do better, to be better. He deserved that; he deserved her everything.

It happened so quickly, she wasn't sure what it was before she was crying. Now he was thrusting into her, as she struggled to stay on top of him. Now she was the one trembling, the one on the verge of detonating. A hot flush rushed across her skin, sinking deep into her core. Berserk bit down on her lip, finally tasting blood when it happened. LIke a dam breaking, sweet release shot through her.

Gasping for air, glistening with sweat and quaking with sobs, she buried her face against his chest as he laid back against the love seat.

"Beloved, you're...you're cr-crying…" Akio whispered.

Berserk nodded, lifting her head and softly kissing his lips, "I love you, Ki. I love you, I love you, I love you," she kept whimpering, burying herself in his arms. She didn't need to ask him to hold her this time.


	13. No Excuses

**No Excuses**

The little girl wore a wistful little smile on her face as she struggled to climb on top of the unsteady trash can. She yelped when it nearly tumbled over, quickly grabbing the side of the dumpster to keep her balance. Breathing a sigh of relief, she started to lift her leg up. Before she could make it into the dumpster, a hand caught her by the back of her raggedy dress and tugged her back to the ground, gentle as a mama cat lifting a kitten. She swallowed nervously and turned around, hands flying to her face when she saw the newcomer.

"You!" she squealed, a bright grin on her face and stars dazzling in her eyes. She couldn't resist giggling when the hero knelt down beside her and tugged some old string out of her hair. He smiled gently and took her hand.

"It is dangerous to climb into these trash receptacles. Not only is it a breeding ground for disease, you're likely to hurt yourself on broken glass or other unmentionables," the hero, Akio, explained, taking his cape in his hand and using it to wipe away some of the dirt from her face.

The little girl sighed and nodded, "Oh I know, Mr. Akio, sir. It wouldn't be the first time I'd gotten sick. But, I have to find some things to sell so Papa and I can eat tonight." She blushed and looked away, "It's been a few days since our last meal."

"What is the meaning of this? You must be mistaken...you and your father have not eaten in days?" Akio gasped, taking her hand in both of his, "This shall not stand. Please, allow me to assist you. Let us find your father and I will make this wrong right again,"

The little girl blushed, "Okay, Mister. Akio, sir," she murmured.

XxXxX

The street vendor hadn't been terribly excited by the sight of the mangy father and daughter, but he couldn't afford to turn Akio away. Just the other day, the hero had saved his only remaining cart from being destroyed by the Powerpunk Girls. So, with a begrudging sigh, he handed over the jumbo fat dogs and prayed the two wouldn't scare away other potential customers.

The little girl munched at her hotdog, still staring at the hero in amazement, while her father fought back tears, still voicing his appreciation.

"Please, Mister Less, it is no trouble at all. I could not sleep knowing you and your daughter are not fed. Once you've eaten, I will see to getting you proper accommodations at least for the night," Akio sighed, taking a sip of the strawberry juice box he'd chosen in place of a hot dog, "It may only be short lived, at this time, but I will find a way to a more permanent solution."

"Akio, sir, you don't understand what this means to me, and to my daughter," Mr. Less explained, voice still thick with tears, "Since that...that horrible Plutonium stole away my company and stole away the money I'd managed to save after years of working myself to the bone…" He wiped his eyes and smiled gratefully when Akio gave his hand a squeeze, "I thought all the good in the world was gone."

"The Descendant of Jaaku's cruelty knows no limit," Akio murmured. He blinked and peered down when the little girl touched his arm. A shining smile found its way to his face, "Ah! My apologies, Miss Penny, I never meant to darken the mood. Forgive my frustrations,"

The little girl, Penny Less, giggled and shook her head, sipping her own juice box, "It's okay, Mister Akio. Um...I was wondering...um...you fight the Powerpunk Girls, right?"

Her nervous tone was to be expected. What caught Akio off guard was the excitement in her voice whenever she mentioned the city's resident villains. The hero nodded, smiling, "Yes, I've, unfortunately, been forced to do battle with them several times. It is unfortunate to see how the Descendent of Jaaku has led his own daughters down the path of evil,"

Mr. Less nearly choked on his food, thumping his chest and coughing, "Unfortunate? The unfortunate thing is that those girls were born. Plutonium is a monster, but he had much less power before creating those demons." Still coughing, Mr. Less excused himself and picked himself up from the sidewalk, staggering toward the public fountain to clear his throat.

Penny sighed, "Papa doesn't like the Powerpunk Girls," she explained.

Akio raised an eyebrow, "What do you think of them?"

Penny blushed and quickly stuffed her mouth with the rest of her hot dog. She peeked up at Akio and, seeing he was still expecting an answer, giggled nervously, "I um...I think they're super cool!" she squealed.

Akio blinked, "Super...cool? The Powerpunk Girls who reign destruction on this city?"

Penny nodded, "I know it's silly, they ARE bad guys. But they're just...so strong, and cool, and awesome. They don't let anyone push them around! If they want something, they just take it! If...if I was strong like that, then I could help Papa."

She jumped when the hero patted her shoulder, then tilted her chin to look up at him, "You are strong, Penny. And what strength the Powerpunk Girls show...it comes at a great cost. They're enslaved to the whims of the Descendent of Jaaku. What power they have is corrupted by his darkness. No, if the Powerpunk Girls could be more like you, this world would be a better place."

Penny stared down at her juice box, "You think...they aren't really so bad?"

Akio nodded, "I am sure that, beneath the evil they've been born into, good hearts beat within them. Why! I've already seen Miss Berserk take my advice and improve upon her dental hygiene! If she can make such a small change, surely it could lead to even greater things, don't you think?"

Penny smiled and resumed sipping her juice. It was the first time someone hadn't told her she was crazy for thinking that, just maybe, they could be friends.

XxXxX

Penny's breath caught in her throat. She hadn't expected the opportunity to come so soon. But, in the aftermath of a recent fight with Akio, the Powerpunk Girls had squabbled and separated. Now, Berserk was just feet in front of her. Penny tried to keep her footsteps soft and her breathing quiet as she followed the supervillain.

Berserk was notorious for her temper tantrums. Today was no exception. After a few angry stomps, the Powerpunk girl suddenly screamed and grabbed the nearest mailbox. Tearing it from the ground, she smashed it into a nearby window, then hurled it into the street, knocking over a passing car. With another scream, she snorted a puff of flames from her nose and ruffled her tangled, messy hair.

Penny froze, watching her with a dreamy grin, "So cool!" she squealed. Unfortunately, it was a bit too loud. Berserk whipped around, snarling at her. Penny squeaked and managed a single step back before the Powerpunk girl was in front of her, grabbing her ragged shirt and pulling a fist back to sock her.

"Why are you following me?! What do you want, you dirty little piece of shit?" Berserk shrieked, a bit louder than she probably meant to.

The little girl laughed nervously and kicked her feet. She couldn't reach the ground, "I'm sorry! I was watching your fight with Mister Akio, and then you got in a fight with your sisters and ran off this way and I was going this way and I just thought, oh I'll just walk behind her, and then you blew up that mailbox and it was the coolest thing ever," Penny gasped, hands rushing to her mouth, "You're so cool, I wanna be your friend, you're cool,"

Berserk blinked, dropping Penny so suddenly she tripped and fell to the ground, "You're weird, aren't you afraid of me? I could kill you if I wanted to." Berserk's eye twitched and she growled again, clenching her fist, "Wait, you were following me? Are you some kind of creepy stalker? Don't follow me!" She swung her fist out, smashing the parking meter beside her.

Penny stared at the glass and metal that fell around her, her grin growing, "That is so cool! You're so cool, Berserk! And um, I wasn't really following you. We were just going the same way! Um...okay so I was following you, I'm sorry, you're just really cool!"

"Stop saying that! It's really weird...I'm not cool, I'm scary! I'm evil and mean!" Berserk insisted.

"Mr. Akio says you're not that bad. You even brushed your teeth because he suggested it!" Penny pointed out. She squealed when Berserk's hands flew to her mouth, covering her teeth. The cutest shade of pink rushed to the villain's cheeks and Berserk quickly looked away.

"Sh-shut up! I didn't do that for him! I just wanted to, okay? Quit talking to Akio! He's a big stupid shit-eating stupid hero n-nerd!" she shouted.

Penny shook her head, "Nuh uh! Mister Akio is great, and he thinks you're not really a bad girl. So, I'm sure you're really not so bad. He said if…" Penny blushed and giggled. She couldn't bring herself to say that Berserk should be more like her, "W-we should be friends, Berserk!" she blurted out.

"No way! I don't have friends, I'm evil!" Berserk spat, shoving Penny roughly to the ground. Growling, she threw a punch at the nearest building, knocking the wall down. Her eye twitching, Berserk tore the parking meter out of the ground and hurled it into the street, hitting someone who had stopped to check on the car accident she'd caused earlier. With a roar, she spewed flames across the sidewalk.

Panting, she glared at Penny, "See? Evil! Mean! Would a nice person do that?" Berserk didn't wait for an answer, she just ruffled her hair and growled, "You're stupid! Akio is stupid! You're all st-stupid idiot n-nerds! Stay away from me!" Berserk shot off into the air, her take off blowing a crater in the ground beneath her.

Penny looked around at the destruction, then down at where she had been standing. Part of the building Berserk had hit fell right where she was moments before. And the flames Berserk had blown drew a rather neat circle around her. Other than a sore bottom, she was fine.

The little girl smirked and nodded, "I think you're right, Mister Akio. I'll do my best to help!"


	14. Find a Way to My Heart

**Find a Way to My Heart**

It was getting close to one in the morning on Christmas Day. The night had been too cold, and she had been too restless to really sleep. So, while she had the mansion to herself, Berserk wandered through the halls, wrapped in a big fuzzy blanket. A gift she'd received from the city's own private Santa just last year. She sighed, shuffling toward the meeting room of the mansion.

Every year, a certain hero took it upon himself to break into their home and turn their meeting hall into a bona fide living room. Complete with a sofa big enough for a family of four, a gaudy rug and portable fireplace. Best of all, at least in Berserk's opinion, was always the tree. Somehow, in the early hours of the morning, Akio always managed to sneak a plastic tree, he refused to harm a real tree, into the mansion. It got bigger every year, with more intricate ornaments and decorations. And, every Christmas morning, the punks would find presents addressed to them from Akio.

The first year, they just assumed it was a trick. She was ashamed to admit it with her sisters around, but Berserk had kept the Smarmy the Dinosaur doll Akio had given her that first Christmas. She made sure to hide it, only daring to take it out when she knew she was alone. The next year, despite the improved defenses, Akio managed it yet again. Even with the security cameras and automated defenses, he always made it inside. He always left a gift for each of them.

Brat was convinced he was a pedophile that was just trying to molest their "sweet, innocent little bodies" she'd say with a sarcastic giggle. If anyone else were calling Brat innocent, Berserk might have found it funny. Brute always ended up destroying whatever gift Akio left for her before the morning was over.

"You shouldn't be up so early! A growing young woman needs her rest, even on a day as exciting as today," Berserk smirked, lifting the edges of her blanket to hopefully keep him from seeing her smile. She must have failed, judging by the beaming grin on his face.

Berserk cleared her throat, "It looks...really cool, Ki...erm, for a lame, stupid idiot holiday," she quickly murmured her disapproval, still grinning. Her heart started to race as he approached her. He was wearing a goofy sweater, covered in snowflakes and reindeer. The over-sized santa hat on his head was barely holding on thanks to his horns, but he looked every bit the patron saint of holiday cheer.

She blushed when he held out a box.

Well," Akio began, "I've never been here to see you open your gift. I suppose Santa could forgive us both if you opened it early, just this once," he explained. He watched with an expectant grin on his face as she carefully tore off the wrapping paper. She didn't want him to get any idea that she was excited. She wasn't a baby that got excited about Christmas. She was fourteen years old now, not a stupid little kid.

Still, she bit her lip as she set the box down and opened it. Berserk licked her lips, lifting up the jacket, her blanket slipping away from her shoulders.

Akio's eyes widened. He blushed and averted his gaze, clearing his throat, "I hope you...you enjoy it. I know you are not fond of the cold, despite your tendency to get lost in less than ideal weather," he chuckled.

Berserk swallowed, holding it up to her chest. It was dark red, with white sleeves and little red rings around the cuffs. She took a deep breath and bit her lip again, glancing up at Akio.

"Why d-do you d-do this?" Berserk asked, her voice watery and weak.

Akio smiled, giving her shoulder a squeeze. Now they both blushed, "I know how things are for you here. I know how the Descendant of Jaaku treats you. I feel it is my duty to ensure you experience at least...some of the magic of Christmas. That is, has always been, my primary gift to you," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

Berserk's whole face lit up red and she quickly spun around, picking up her blanket and wrapping it around her. A few stray tears rolled down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away.

"Do you like it?" Akio asked.

Berserk shook her head, "It's stupid and l-lame, j-just like you!" she cried, taking off running back to her room without looking back.

XxXxX

Berserk groaned, spitting in the sink and looking at her teeth. Licking her lips and mumbling, she rinsed her mouth and began the arduous task of flossing. After several minutes, fighting with the mint flavored string, she spat again and wiped her mouth off. She wandered toward the meeting hall, knowing the others had likely torn down Akio's decorations already. She grumbled, still too tired lift her feet much off the ground, content to slide along the cold tile in her thick winter socks.

She yawned and stumbled into the conference room, plopping down on the sofa. Somehow it had avoided Brute and Brat's annual "Destroy the Hero's Shit" party. Berserk stuffed her hands into her pockets and watched the two throw the ornaments as hard as they could at each other. The mostly missed, instead smashing on the walls. Every so often, Brat would squeal when Brute managed to hit her.

The blue-eyed Powerpunk knew better than to hit her sister back.

Rubbing her head, Brat glanced up at Berserk. She sputtered, tumbling over laughing, "What's that stupid jacket? Did you get that from your ugly old boyfriend?" she jeered, throwing an ornament at Berserk.

The redhead swatted the ornament away, blushing red to match her jacket. She stuffed her hands deeper into the pockets and snuggled a little more into the couch.

"Sh-shut up, Brat," she mumbled. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and smiled. The mansion was so cold, but her jacket was so warm.


	15. All Along the Watchtower

**All Along the Watchtower**

The early morning sun was just starting to pour over the rooftops of Viletown. For a rare moment, the celestial glow cast across the city almost made it seem at peace. A dark figure darted through the sky, leaping from building to building. His morning routine was meant to be little more than a simple patrol. Even at his worst, the criminal overlord of Viletown seemed to despise the early morning. In a way, it worried the wandering hero. Should the Descendant of Jaaku ever change his pattern, the city would likely be unable to react.

Akio touched down near the dilapidated city park. There were few trees that had managed to survive the brutal onslaught of the Powerpunk Girls. What remained were scrawny, damaged things that fought simply to survive. With a sigh, Akio approached the nearest tree and rested his palm against it. A warm magic surged from within him, spreading through the bark. His frown became a smile as the tree began to grow again.

"There, friend. You shall continue to grace this place with your beauty for another day," He patted the tree and began to head toward the next one. He paused, cocking his head in confusion. He turned slowly, his gaze stopping on the water fountain in the middle of the park.

It was a small fountain, but a beautiful one. Made with pristine white marble, it seemed to continuously survive the worst the town's villains rained down around it. In the center was an angel, hands clasped in front of her chest, as the water flowed down her face like tears into the pool below. The water was incredibly clean, Akio noticed.

He approached the fountain, warily glancing back over his shoulder. Something seemed different about the park that morning. Something about this fountain, this concrete angel, kept him from relaxing. He paused and narrowed his eyes. There was no one else around, but he wasn't alone.

When Akio turned back to the fountain, he wasn't surprised to see some...thing standing in the water. The creature was strange, though with a certain queer beauty to it. Its skin was sharp blue, its hands were strange, lobster-like claws. With a frown on its pretty face, its piercing orange eyes scanning the statue closely, it gently ran its claw across the statues cheek. A crack, one that Akio hadn't noticed before, was suddenly repaired.

The creature turned to him and gave him a small, but polite smile, and bowed its head, "My apologies, Mister Akio, I have been meaning to meet with you for some time now, but, alas, it could not be until this moment. That's simply how things have worked out," the creature, its voice low, but feminine, with the tone of a teacher who would suffer no nonsense, explained.

Stepping carefully, the creature walked to the edge of the fountain. It turned its piercing eyes toward Akio and offered its claw, "It's rude to not offer your hand to a lady,"

Akio flushed and hurried over, bowing and taking her hand. He helped her step carefully out of the fountain. She brushed her practical business skirt off and smoothed the wrinkles out of her neatly pressed blouse. Clearing her throat, she thanked him and began to walk.

"Please, follow me, we have much we need to discuss before the sun rises. I have a strict schedule to adhere to and, in spite of a certain degree of respect, I cannot allow you to dally," the creature snapped her claw and turned, her stare like daggers. "Come along, Mister Akio," she commanded. Akio nodded and sheepishly fell into step behind her.

She was quick, taking long, confident strides. In mere seconds, it seemed, the two had crossed back into the town and entered a cafe just as it opened. The owner glanced up and quickly bowed, offering the creature to take her "usual spot." The creature gave him a polite smile and her thanks. She led Akio to the back of the cafe and motioned for him to sit across from her.

They sat down, and in seconds the owner placed a fresh cup of black coffee in front of the creature. She glanced up at him, furrowing her brow, "Steven, you have run this shop for six and a half years. I have been a patron from day one. I expect better service from you. You've not even looked at my guest," she chided.

The owner swallowed, "M-My apologies, Ma'am. Yes sir, what can I get you?" he asked, turning to Akio. The hero shook his head, offering his thanks but declining any beverage. The creature across from him pursed her lips, now fixing Akio with her glare.

"And you, Mister Akio, it is very impolite to turn down your hostess's offer," she explained.

Akio cleared his throat, "It is quite alright, I have no desire for food or refreshment at this time. I don't mean to be rude, but you seem to know my name. I am, unfortunately, not familiar with yourself, Miss..?"

"Her," she introduced herself, offering him her claw once more. Akio awkwardly shook her claw, noticing the frown still on her lips, "That is what I have been designated, it will suffice to avoid confusion and misunderstanding," She took a sip of her coffee and set it down. Folding her claws and resting them on her lap, she fixed Akio with another stare.

He was beginning to grow weary of that constant judgmental look in her eyes.

"Miss Her, then. It is my honor to make your acquaintance. You seem to be someone held in high esteem, it is shocking we've not met before now," Akio offered a polite bow.

"We've not yet met, Mister Akio, because it was not yet time for us to. I have a schedule, one I intend to adhere to at all costs. Everything happens when it happens for a reason. Your arrival to Viletown, the presence of Plutonium…" for the first time, Her's professional, haughty demeanor broke and a venomous frown found its way to her lips, "Even the birth of those wretched, awful, horrible little beasts!" she hissed, her voice rising several octaves with each word.

Akio blinked, shocked by the sudden change in her behavior. He cleared his throat, tapping his fingers on the table, "I take it you're referring to the Powerpunk Girls?"

"Who else could I be speaking of? Who else in this world is so...uncouth, vile, and nasty? Will you stop that, it's very rude!" She barked, her claw shooting out and slapping his hands.

He pulled his hands back, looking like a kicked puppy.

Her took another drink and sighed, "My apologies, those awful girls bring out the worst in me. Yes, I am speaking of the Powerpunk Girls. Which brings me to our meeting. I am here to inform you that you will destroy these girls to preserve the peace in this world," she explained, as if it was already decided upon.

Akio shook his head, "I regret to inform you, Miss Her, I will not be destroying the Powerpunk Girls. They are simply children, corrupted by the Descendant of Jaaku. I believe they can still be saved from his darkness,"

He jumped when Her began to tap her claw on the side of her cup, "I'm afraid I do not understand, Mister Akio. You are a hero, as such, it is your duty, your obligation, your role to do away with evil. This world cannot abide wickedness, those who would shun peace and kindness and goodness for the sake of their own selfish gain." she explained, her lips pulled tight and her voice carefully controlled. He could just make out the anger bubbling beneath her words.

"I understand, but I disagree. I believe no one is beyond saving. I know these girls have good in them, and I believe-"

"YOU KNOW NOTHING!" Her suddenly exclaimed, rising from her seat so quickly she nearly toppled her mug. The cafe owner started toward them, but Her waved him off and returned to her seat. Crossing her legs and clearing her throat, she took another drink. "Mister Akio, I have tried for two years to reign these vicious little creatures in. I have used every ounce of my patience and power to explain goodness, kindness, and proper etiquette to them. They are unteachable. They are monsters who ruin the balance, the order of this world. You, as a hero, are obligated to use your power to rid this world of such a horrid infestation of wickedness!"

Now Her was on a tangent, tapping her mug rapidly as the words came from her lips faster and faster, "This world was built on a simple principle. The principle that everything has a purpose, everything has a reason. There is logic and rationality behind everything that has happened, is happening and will happen. Creatures of disorder and violence such as those rotten girls and their terrible creator are at the core of all trouble in this world. That is their role, to upset balance and goodness. And that is why there are heroes! It is the role of heroes to reign in evil, to keep it bound and crushed beneath the boot of civility and order! That is your role, Mister Akio! That is why you have come here, and that is what you will do!" she took a long, deep breath and a small sip of her coffee.

Clearing her throat, Her smoothed her hair out, "I hope you can understand. This is not a request, Mister Akio. This is your destiny. You are a hero, it is your role, your duty to crush evil,"

"You are mistaken, Miss Her. I did not come to destroy these girls. I came to end the reign of the Descendant of Jaaku. I will do this, and I will save these girls without taking a life. Every life is precious, and everyone deserves a second chance." Akio explained, shaking his head.

"That is not your decision to make! It is your duty to stop them!" Her retorted.

"I disagree. However, I respect your beliefs, though I cannot follow them. You seem a creature of great power, why can you not put a stop to them yourself?" Akio asked. The world around them seemed to bend and contour to the shape and will of this creature. The city froze when they walked through the streets. The stone bent to her will. This cafe owner seemed to revere her.

She was getting angry again. Pushing her coffee cup back, she folded her claws on her lap and fixed him with a piercing glare. It was like she was peeking into his soul, "That is not my role. I am the facilitator. I oversee the order and balance in this world. When something arises to upset it, I find those who have been chosen, those destined to change it, and lead them along that path. You are the one who can stop them. That is your role!"

"I regret to disappoint you, but I will not destroy the Powerpunk Girls," Akio informed her, rising from his seat. He bowed, thanking her for her company and turned to leave.

"Mister Akio," He paused, turning to face her once more, "You do understand what they are, do you not? They were created from your very essence. Now, perhaps you can confront them. Now, you have the power to destroy them. They will become stronger. One day soon, they will become more than even you can fight. That is their destiny: to destroy you. If you do not act, they will succeed,"

Akio turned away again, sighing. He lifted his head and spoke, after a moment's hesitation, "Perhaps, that is why they were created. But, I believe they can still choose their own destiny. I will not give up on them, I will give them that choice,"

"And if they choose to destroy you?" Her shot back.

Akio smiled sadly, "Then I will be at peace, knowing they were given the chance to choose," Without looking back, Akio thanked the cafe owner and slipped outside. The city was starting to wake up. Without a glance back, he leaped toward the nearest building, quickly scaling the wall and disappearing along the rooftops.


	16. Hard on You

**Hard on You**

Berserk shivered, making sure her thin jacket was zipped up all the way. She'd had the stupid thing for years now, but hadn't bothered stealing a new one. Still, December was dragging on, getting colder by the day, and Christmas was just around the corner. In the past, she really hadn't cared much about that particular holiday. The Oppressor told them it was a useless commercial spectacle; an exaggerated advertisement to get the poor and ignorant masses to spend their money on junk they didn't need or want.

Whatever presents or holiday cheer or whatever was supposed to come with the day, she hadn't felt it. They never got anything, they never did anything. In fact, the Oppressor usually had them attack the city out of spite. Things had changed slightly in the last five years, though. That first year when he found out about the lack of "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" in their lives, the hero had made a point to break into their home and put on a special celebration just for them.

Berserk snickered, glancing up at her companion. She rolled her eyes when he stopped to help a stupid old woman cross the street. Or when he paused to buy some homeless schmuck a blanket. Why did he bother wasting his time on useless people?

"Why are you so lame?" she muttered out loud when he returned from collecting a note from a little girl, promising to deliver it to Santa.

Akio beamed, "Ah! Do you wish for me to pass your own wishes along to Santa Claus? I believe you've been nicer this year than before, perhaps this time he will listen?" Akio mused, stroking his beard. Berserk shoved her hands into her pockets, glaring at the ground.

"I'm twelve, Akio, I don't believe in Santa. You're the one who breaks into our house to give us crap," she pointed out. Akio chuckled and nodded, still playing with his beard.

"Well, yes, your presents are a gift from me. However, Santa is quite real. He simply erm...does not feel comfortable stopping by the Descendant of Jaaku's residence. So I've taken it upon myself to reward your good behavior," he explained.

Berserk rolled her eyes, "What good behavior? I'm bad, I'm evil, remember?"

Akio chuckled, "Well, yes, you are still quite naughty. But, I do not believe you are so evil as you claim, Miss Berserk,"

"That's because you're a stupid nerd…" she muttered, turning away so he wouldn't see the blush creeping onto her cheeks.

"Berserk! Mister Akio!" A voice called out. Berserk groaned and prepared to take off into the sky. Unfortunately, her hand was caught by the newcomer. The Powerpunk girl bristled and prepared to swing at her, but paused when she saw how the other girl was holding Akio's hand. Her cheeks flared up and her chest hitched.

"Ah! Miss Penny! What are you doing on this wonderful afternoon?" Akio welcomed her sudden hug. He laughed when Berserk clenched her fists and bristled as Penny threw her arms around her neck, hugging her tight. She turned her gaze to Akio and snarled, while he continued laughing.

Penny pulled away, snatching their hands again and falling into step between them, "Well, Papa is at work, so I was running some errands for him," she explained. Berserk frowned, finally tearing her eyes away from the other two and staring at the ground. Penny began to gush and praise Akio for helping her father get a job a few years back. The two were still living in a hovel, but they at least ate most days now. The hero refused to take credit for their better fortune, instead saying it was due to Penny's optimism and her father's hard work.

Berserk growled low in her throat, her eye twitching when Penny squeezed her hand, "What are you doing out today, Berserk? Up to anything cool? Ooh! Were you guys fighting before? I bet you were and it was super awesome!"

"We weren't fighting...I'm just walking." Berserk shot back, her frown darkening when Penny began to talk again. This stupid girl didn't get the picture. She didn't want anything to do with her. She was a stupid, annoying, dirty, homeless loser.

"-it's cold. But I bet you don't get cold because of your fire breath, right Berserk?" Penny exclaimed, tearing the Powerpunk girl out of her angry thoughts.

"Huh? Oh...no I hate the cold…" Berserk murmured, shivering when a small breeze blew by. In response, Penny pulled them both closer, yammering something about being close to share warmth. Berserk wasn't paying attention. She tried to tear her hand away from Penny's, but the loser's grip was stronger than she had imagined.

Penny and Akio were yammering about Christmas. Talking about their favorite carols, flowers, and foods. Penny was excited that they were able to afford a couple turkey legs this year. Akio had made a list of ten thousand good deeds he wanted to do before Christmas Day. He was about halfway through the list, with just a week to go. Now they were talking about their favorite ornaments.

Berserk's frown slowly slid away, replaced by a small smile. Her cheeks warmed up and, slowly, her fingers clasped around Penny's hand.

"Berserk! What were you getting Akio for Christmas?" That ruined it. Her eyes snapped open and she quickly pulled away from the stupid little hugbox. Hovering in the air, shoving her hands in her pockets and shivering, Berserk glared at Penny. She threw a quick glance at Akio and turned bright red. He had an expectant grin on his face.

"N-Nothing! I'm not g-gonna get a present for a st-stupid, lame, hero n-nerd!" she exclaimed, quickly taking off into the air. She clenched her eyes shut, not paying attention to where she was flying. Why did Penny have to remind her? What was she supposed to get Akio? He seemed like he had everything...and he wouldn't like it if she stole something.

"St-stupid idiots…" she murmured, lips trembling. What was she supposed to give him? How was she supposed to get him something without stealing it?


	17. Bully

**Bully**

Akio sat down at the edge of the building, resting his chin on his hands. They were battling another one of the city's many heroes. This one, Fluffy Bumpkin, was supposed to be one of the most brilliant scientists in the country, possibly the world. A strange creature of enormous build with pink fur and strange antennae coming from his head. He was already a formidable fighter. Now, though, with the duranium exoskeleton he had designed specifically to battle the Powerpunk Girls...he seemed quite capable of crushing them once and for all.

"Let's see how this turns out...perhaps I won't need to interfere," Akio mused.

XxXxX

Fluffy was frequently a tough customer for the Powerpunk Girls to deal with. This new invention, the Punkbuster Armor, was on its own level. Brute came swinging at him, her fist colliding with his, releasing enough force to blow the air back around them. With a shout, she was thrown backward, tumbling head over heels until sliding to a halt on her knees.

"This here's the end of y'all," Fluffy explained, his dialect masking the true genius behind his words, "Usin' mah Punkbuster Armor, y'all ain't stand a chance, no sirree!"

Brute growled and climbed to her feet, glaring at Brat and Berserk, "What are you losers standing around for? Fucking hit him!" she barked, charging at Fluffy again. The sisters nodded and came at him in a fury.

Normally, it was easy enough to overwhelm Fluffy with their superior speed. With the Punkbuster Armor, though, he seemed able to keep up with them, at least in small bursts. Fluffy deflected another punch from Brute, ducking beneath Brat's kick and knocking her away with a vicious hook. When Berserk came in for a swing, he managed to block it. His exoskeleton lit up, glowing as it converted the energy from her blow and redirected it. With a small jab, he released a burst of force, sending Berserk skidding backward.

"Fuckin' jerk!" Brute growled, unleashing her heat rays. The force of the beams tore the street open, incinerating the chunks of concrete they sprayed into the air. With a grunt, Fluffy brought his hands up and caught the beams. His exoskeleton heated up, glowing red until it matched the color of Brute's attack.

When the dust settled, he was still standing, fists clenched, suit glowing dangerously. Fluffy smirked, opening his eyes, "Now it's mah turn, ya reckless little varmints!" Fluffy slammed his fist into the ground. His armor lit up bright red, and then the energy shot through him and into the ground beneath him. Steam rose up from his skeleton; sweat trickled down his brow.

"Wow, that was so impressive! I mean, just, wow! You really showed us. Geez, so incredible!" Brat exclaimed, "Better pack it up and leave, WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!" she screeched, stomping toward Fluffy. The ground suddenly began to shake, nearly knocking her off her feet.

The Powerpunk Girls flew into the air, looking around at the shaking city.

Brute growled, "What the hell is he doing?"

Berserk shrugged, opening her mouth to respond. Before she could, the ground beneath them tore open and a heat ray shot into the air at them! "Move!" Berserk yelled instinctively. The three quickly dodged the attack. Like a dam breaking, more and more beams of heat shot from the ground, each flying faster than the last.

"HOW LAME! USE YOUR OWN ATTACK, LOSER!" Brat screamed, yelping when one of the beams hit her. Brute dodged one, only to find herself face to face with another. Berserk cried out as one shot from behind her, slamming her in the back.

Fluffy breathed heavily, standing up straight and dusting his hands off, "Mighty impressive, how much energy y'all managed to get me. But, heh heh, looks like Ah done did you in right good and proper, huh?" Fluffy laughed, waving his hand to brush away the dust still filling the air. He blinked, seeing the street in front of him empty. "Now, what in tarna-"

A fist slammed into his back; sparks flew from his exoskeleton. Screaming, he tumbled to the ground, arms suddenly tugged behind his back as his Punkbuster Armor began to constrict and twist uncontrollably.

Brute looked down at the wires and components in her hand and shrugged, throwing them over her shoulder, "Whoops, was that important?"

"Ah! Can't! Move!" Fluffy managed to force out, struggling to breathe when his arms were yanked in another unnatural direction.

"Aw...poor little Fluffy...I know! If your arms hurt so bad, maybe we should just take them off for you? Ooh, let's do it! I got dibs on his right arm!" Brat squealed, hurrying over to him.

"I want his left arm!" Berserk insisted, hurrying before Brat could spoil all the fun. Brute just snickered and stalked toward Fluffy, slamming her fists together.

XxXxX

"Incredible. Even in my fights with them, they've refrained from using so much power," Akio murmured, climbing to his feet. He cringed, hearing Fluffy's screams of terror and pain. If he didn't hurry, Viletown would lose one of its most brilliant minds.

He frowned, slipping down the side of the building and hurrying to the fight. He knew they were brainwashed by the Descendant of Jaaku. But this kind of cruelty. His eyes narrowed. They would need to be shown the error of their ways.


	18. Bleed the Freak

**Bleed the Freak**

The training simulation was relentless. A swirling torrent of duranium blades and piercing lasers, swooping through the battle grid with deadly precision. Brat hit the ground, immediately crying out and tucking her legs in. She was still too slow to avoid the training droid's first swing, cutting across her thigh. She scrambled to her feet, ducking under another swing that would have taken her head off. When she prepared to use her sonic scream, its leg shot out, catching her in the chest.

"Not good enough, Brat. Think on your feet, don't be so predictable," A dark voice rang out from the intercom overhead.

The Powerpunk girl snarled and started to get back on her feet. She shot into the air, screaming in frustration when a tendril shot out, catching her ankle and hurling her back across the battle grid. As she flew through the air, Brute shot by her, throwing a devastating punch at the training droid.

Its own hand shot up, like a shield, deflecting the punch. Brute barked in pain, dodging a duranium buzz saw. The blade cut through the part of her hair, dropping a few strands to the ground. Her eyes widened and her lips pulled back into a vicious growl.

"YOU FUCKING SHIT, FUCKING DIE ALREADY!" she screamed, throwing herself at the training droid. It weaved in and out of each of her mighty blows. She threw a wicked haymaker, only to find herself tumbling through the air, a duranium blade coming down toward her neck.

"I got you!" Berserk shouted, blasting the training droid with her heat rays, slowing its attack just enough for Brute to slip by unscathed. The droid's gaze fell on Berserk and it advanced on her, clanging its blades together and grasping at her with its sharp claws.

She swallowed nervously, backing up, until she hit the wall. She grunted, dodging an attack that would have impaled her. A tendril shot out catching her by the neck and lifting her off the ground. An electric current shot through it, flooding her body with indescribable pain. Berserk's eyes widened and she exploded with a silent scream, spit and blood trickling down her lips as the tendril tightened around her.

The droid grunted, turning away from Berserk, slamming her into the ground, and advanced on Brute, who had dared to hit it from the side. The Powerpunk leader swallowed nervously, dodging a swing from the training droid. It snatched her by her leg and swung her into Brat. It swatted her from the air, then caught her by her skirt, lifting her up. With a brief pause, it slammed the two together and dropped them to the ground.

"Pathetic, is this the best you can do? You're garbage, the lot of you. Finish them off, get them out of my sight," the dark voice sneered.

The training droid cocked its head, raising its duranium blades. Its blades lunged at the fallen Powerpunk girls. A torrent of fire fell over it, blowing it back, causing the attack, which would have been deadly, to miss, instead grazing Brute's side and Brat's cheek. Berserk stumbled toward them, clutching at her throat and gasping for air, smoke hanging on her lips.

She tried to swallow and shook her head. The training droid sat up, its plating horribly burnt and its head twitching, advancing on her. In a flash, it jerked to the side, one of its legs torn from its body. Berserk yelped, caught in the side of the head by a duranium tendril and knocked to the ground. The droid tried to turn, only to take another fierce blow to its abdomen. Brute grunted, her fists bleeding and bones popping as she took another swing.

Brat sat up, rubbing her cheek and growling. She wiped the blood off her face and glared at Berserk, "You're so useless," she spat, turning and screaming as loud as she could at the droid. It froze, mid swing at Brute and its hands rose to its head. The eyes on the training droid sizzled and it began to shake violently. With a snarl, Brute took a wild swing, finally tearing the head from its shoulders.

The training droid dropped to the ground, and the Powerpunk Girls breathed a collective sigh of relief. The battle grid died around them and the door opened. The Oppressor strode into the room, hands folded behind his back as he looked at each of them.

He sneered at Brute, who was sitting on her knees cradling her bloody fists, "Pathetic." He chuckled, watching Brat try to stop the bleeding on her numerous cuts, cursing under her breath, "Weak." He paused by Berserk, who was lying on the ground, still struggling to breathe and cradling her head. Her eyes were unfocused. He knelt down beside her, "Useless." he spat, rising to his feet and stalking back toward the door.

"You've made no discernable progress. I'm starting to think we should consider other options," he mused.

Brute coughed, pulling her bloody fist from her mouth, "What? No way, we fucking killed that sonuvabitch. Give us another,"

The Oppressor smirked, "That's what I was hoping to hear. Your next training session begins, now," The door slid shut behind him and the battle grind spun to life again.


End file.
